After that, when we came up to live in Leigh Street, Mrs. Wood sorted out
five bags of clothes which we had used at sea, and also such as had been
worn since we came on shore, for me and the cook to wash. Elizabeth the
cook told her, that she did not think that I was able to stand to the tub,
and that she had better hire a woman. I also said myself, that I had come
over to nurse the child, and that I was sorry I had come from Antigua,
since mistress would work me so hard, without compassion for my
rheumatism. Mr. and Mrs. Wood, when they heard this, rose up in a passion
against me. They opened the door and bade me get out. But I was a
stranger, and did not know one door in the street from another, and was
unwilling to go away. They made a dreadful uproar, and from that day they
constantly kept cursing and abusing me. I was obliged to wash, though I
was very ill. Mrs. Wood, indeed once hired a washerwoman, but she was not
well treated, and would come no more.

My master quarrelled with me another time, about one of our great
washings, his wife having stirred him up to do so. He said he would compel
me to do the whole of the washing given out to me, or if I again refused,
he would take a short course with me: he would either send me down to the
brig in the river, to carry me back to Antigua, or he would turn me at
once out of doors, and let me provide for myself. I said I would willingly
go back, if he would let me purchase my own freedom. But this enraged him
more than all the rest: he cursed and swore at me dreadfully, and said he
would never sell my freedom--if I wished to be free, I was free in
England, and I might go and try what freedom would do for me, and be
d----d. My heart was very sore with this treatment, but I had to go on. I
continued to do my work, and did all I could to give satisfaction, but all
would not do.

Shortly after, the cook left them, and then matters went on ten times